45Drives has announced a strategic partnership with Lime Technology, Inc., the developer of Unraid OS, to create a new line of servers specifically designed for homelab enthusiasts and self-hosters. The collaboration will result in the 45HomeLab >< Unraid Signature Series, scheduled to launch in Spring 2026, with systems featuring pre-installed Unraid Lifetime licenses directly from manufacturing facilities in the United States and Canada.
The partnership brings together two companies with over two decades of combined experience in infrastructure design, both emphasizing durability, flexibility, and user control. According to Dr. Doug Milburn, President of 45Drives, the partnership reflects their infrastructure philosophy across all divisions. "We design systems to be owned, expanded, and adapted over many years," Milburn said. "The open-source Linux based foundation of Unraid OS aligns closely with that philosophy."
Tiffany Jones, CEO of Lime Technology, emphasized the alignment of values between the companies. "Unraid was created to give people long-term freedom over their hardware and their data," Jones stated. "That philosophy aligns closely with how 45Drives approaches infrastructure. Together, we're giving builders and professionals a validated platform that can evolve with their needs instead of being replaced as requirements change."
The initial phase of the partnership focuses on the 45HomeLab division, which delivers premium homelab systems manufactured in North America. These systems incorporate enterprise-level architectural philosophy, direct-wired design, and long-term serviceability standards from 45Drives' Enterprise division, now tailored for advanced home users. Both companies have established strong communities within the homelab space and are respected brands among technical users who value performance, flexibility, and ownership.
This partnership matters because it addresses growing demand for infrastructure that avoids vendor lock-in while supporting long-term adaptability. As data storage needs expand and computing requirements evolve, users increasingly seek systems that can grow with them rather than requiring complete replacement. The integration of Unraid OS with 45Drives hardware provides a validated path for users to build and expand their systems while maintaining control over their data and applications.
The collaboration represents a significant development in the homelab market, where technical enthusiasts and professionals seek reliable, flexible solutions for personal data management, media serving, virtualization, and development environments. By combining hardware specifically engineered for Unraid compatibility with software designed for long-term flexibility, the partnership offers users a cohesive solution that supports changing workloads and storage expansion over time.
Unraid OS, created in 2005 to solve real-world storage challenges, has grown into one of the most flexible NAS operating systems available. Developed by Lime Technology, Inc., a family-owned company headquartered in San Diego, Unraid enables users to combine storage devices of varying sizes and types while maintaining full control over data, applications, and virtualized workloads. More information about the partnership is available at https://unraid.net/blog/45homelabxunraid.
